GR872077B - Cutting apparatus for sticky materials - Google Patents

Abstract

This invention relates to a cutting machine for solidified sticky bars such as loukoumi (marshmallow), quince paste, mantolato (almond cake), pasteli, etc. A typical cutting machine consists of conveyor belts upon which the solidified sticky bar (e.g. loukoumi) is placed. The belts move towards a vertical blade, where the bar is cut into strips. Then, the conveyor belts move the sticky strips towards disc-blades that cut the bar crosswise. In order for the material not to stick on either the vertical or the disc blades, the following method is employed: the bar of material placed on the conveyor belt is transferred in step motion, thus not causing any pressure of the material on the blade when cutting. Whilst the blades cut, the bar stands still. When the blade is moving downwards, it is followed by a container of caster sugar constantly smearing the blade. When it is moving upwards, the cut piece of marshmallow is held down, so that it does not stick on the blade. During crosswise cutting of the strips disc-blades with ejectors in between are used, detaching the cut cubes from the blade; blades as well as cut cubes are in the same time smeared with caster sugar. Until now, in order to cut marshmallow into strips and then into cubes, large hand-operated blades have been used. However, there are certain disadvantages in this method: a specialised technician is required, there is a low level of efficiency, pieces are not cut uniformly and there is a high cutting cost. This invention overcomes all those disadvantages.